Portable case and time lock therefor



Sept. 6, 19.60 1. M. GERAGHTY PORTABLE CASE'AND Tin/1E: LOCK THEREFOR Filed Sept. 5, 1957 United .States Patent O PORTABLE CASE lAND TIlVIE LOCK THEREFOR James M. Geraghty, Westport, Conn. (Old Redding Road, Weston, Conn.)

Filed Sept. 3, 1957, Sen No. 681,733

4 Claims. (Cl. 70-273) 'Ihis invention relates to a time lock and has particular reference to a time lock for a portable case.

An object of the invention is to provide a portable case having a time lock which is so constructed and arranged as to permit of the opening of the case only after the lapse of a definite period of time. The invention is applicable to a portable case such as a cigarette case provided with a time lock of said character whereby the cover can be opened only after a definite lapse of time to thereby restrict repeated smoking to such period of time.

Still another object of the invention is to provide .a portable case of said character in which the cover of the case is retained in latched relation during the time required for a clock driven dial to make a complete rotation or any part thereof in accordance with the setting of the dial.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a slide having latch means for retaining the cover of the case in closed relation during the period of time set for rotation of the dial and which is adapted to be manually released from latched relation `at the completion of the rotation of the dial.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a cigarette case provided with a time lock constructed in accordance with the invention. Y v

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the time lock shown in position in the upper portion of the case with the top wall removed and the dial in the released position.

Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the latch moved to release the cover.

Fig. 4 is a view showing the latch in latched position and the dial moved to locking position.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken approximately on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

The time lock is shown in its application to a cigarette case 10 for retaining the cover 12 thereof in latched relation for a predetermined period of time although the invention is applicable to any type of portable case.

The cigarette case 10 is of rectangular formation and is constructed to provide .a shallow cigarette holding compartment 13 and -a time lock compartment 14 with the cover 12 hingedly connected with the case by a hinge 15. The cover 12 is adapted to be secured in closed relation by a latch 16 engaging through a slot 17 in the inturned end 18 thereof.

Located in the time lock compartment 14 is a time lock 19 which includes a watch mechanism 20 arranged in xed position therein and having a dial 21 operatively connected therewith for effecting a complete rotation of Patented Sept. 6, 1960l the dial in aclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings during each hour. The watch mechanism is provided with the usual stem 22 which protrudes through ian opening in the upper end of the case for manually winding the spring of the watch mechanism by rotation of the stem in one direction and for setting of the dial by rotation of the stern in the opposite direction. The wall portion 24 ofthe case is formed with a si-ght opening 25 for exposing the dial 21 therethrough which has a triangular shaped arrow 26 therein for visibly indicating the setting of the dial. The sight opening 25 is closed by a transparency 27 aii'ixed to the inside face of the wall portion 24 for preventing foreign matter from entering the time lock compartment.

Disposed in adjacent relation to the dial`21 is a slide 29 having a tongue 30 protruding through a slot 31 in the wall of the time lock compartment. The tongue 30 extends angularly inward at its free end which end constitutes the latch 16.

kThe slide 29 is mounted for reciprocatory movement on fixed posts 32 and 33 which extend through slots 34 and 35 therein. The slot 34 extends transversely of the case for guiding therslide transversely of the case whenmovement is imparted thereto. The slot 35 is angularly disposed for camming the right hand end of the slide upwardlyA for freeing the cover from latched relation when,

is of an-gulated formation havingral radially arranged edgel 43 which is adapted to be engaged bythe bottomedge 44 of the tongue 42 for preventing-rotation of the dial. The slide is tensioned by a spring 45 affxed'lat one end to the postr 33 and iat its opposite end to a lug`46. aiixed to the `outer end of the slide for retaining the slide in its normal' position with the projection 38 Vdisposed in the path of movement of thespur 39 andthe tongue 42 in narrowly spaced relation from the periphery of the dial.

A push rod 47 protrudes through any opening 48 inthe.

side wall of the time lock compartment 14 with its reduced shank 49 slideably disposed in an opening in a downturned end wall of the slide and with a spring 50 positioned on the shank 49 and axed at its ends to said shank and to said downturned end wall respectively and normally tensioning the push rod in outward relation. This permits of the manual movement of the push rod inwardly so as to move the slide 29 to the right and effect unlatching of the `cover 12. This action only takes place when the dial has been arrested in its rotation by engagement of the spur 39 with the projection 38 of the slide. The detent 41 is then disposed in position to permit o-f the tongue entering the detent with the movement of the slide inwardly whereby the right hand end of the slide is camrned upwardly so las to move the latch 16 out of engagement with the slot 17 in the cover. When the slide 29 is moved to this position, the dial 21 may be rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings to re-set the same to a desired setting.

It is to be understood that the dial 21 is rotatably mou-nted on a shaft 52 for rotation thereof by said watch mechanism and which may be arrested in its turning movement as hereinbefore described without alfecting the operation of the Watch mechanism.

While the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the same is not so limited but shall cover and include any and all modications thereof which fall within the purview of the invention.

vWhatisclaimedis:` i l i j 1. In ak portable case and time lock therefor, saidcase having a storage compartment and a time lock compartment and a cover hingedly connected therewith for closing one side of the storage compartment, a time lock arranged in said time lock compartment and including a watch mechanism having a stem protruding through the Wall of the case for winding the watch mechanism, a dial rotatably driven by said watchmechanism and having a peripheral projection and an oppositely disposed detent, a slidearranged in said time lock compartment having a latch adapted to engage said cover for latching the cover in closed relation, said slide having a part normally disposed in the path of movement of said projection for arresting the rotation of said dial by engagement of said part with said projection, said slide having a tongue adapted to enter said detent by manual movement imparted to said slide when the dial is arrested by said slide part, and a push rod engaging said slide and protruding from said cover for manually moving the slide to free the cover from latched engagement therewith and said slide part from said projection after said dial is arrested by said slide part.

2. In a portable case and time lock therefor, said case having a storage compartment and a time lock compartment and a cover hingedly connected therewith for closing one side of the storage compartment, a time lock arranged in said time lock compartment and including a watch mechanism having a stem protruding through the wall of the case for winding the watch mechanism, a dial rotatably driven by said watch mechanism and having a peripheral projection and a peripheral detent, a slide arranged in said time lock compartment having a latch adapted to engage said cover for latching the cover in closed relation, said slide having a part normally disposed in the path of movement of said projection for arresting the rotation of said dial by engagement of said part with said projection, said slide having a tongue adapted to enter said detent by manual movement imparted to said slide when the dial is arrested by said slide part, means biasing said slide to normally retain said part in the path of movement of said projection, and a push rod engaging said slide and protruding from said cover for manually moving the slide against said biasing means to free the cover from latched engagement therewith and said slide 1 part from 'said projection 2,951,357 p A i ,a

4 s after said dial is arrested by said slide part.

3. In a portable case and time lock therefor, said case having a storage compartment and a cover hingedly connected therewith for closing one side of said storage compartment, a time lock arranged in said case and including Ia Watch mechanism having a stem protruding through the wall of the case for winding the watch mechanism, a dial rotatably driven by said watch mechanism and hlaving a peripheral projection and a peripheral detent, a slide arranged in said case having a latch adapted to engage said cover for latching the cover in closed relation, means guidely mounting said slide for movement thereof to disposethe latch in latched and unlatched engagement with kthe cover, said slide havinga part normally disposed in the path of movement of said projection for arresting the rotation of said dial by engagement of said part with said projection, said slide having a tongue adapted to enter said detent by manual movement imhaving a storage compartment and a cover hingedly connected therewith for closing one side of said storage compartment, a time lock arranged in said case and including for movement to release said latch from latched relation with said cover, and a push rod engaging said slide and protruding from said cover for manually moving the slide to free the cover from latched engagement therewith and to free said slide from arrested engagement with said dial after said dial is arrested by said slide.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS4 Smith Apr. 13, 1897 Emery Apr. 20, 1954 

